Case Number 21061: Small Claims Court

COUNT BASIE: THEN AS NOW, COUNT'S THE KING

The Charge

"He swung us through the better part of a century."

The Case

Count Basie, actually Bill Basie before he claimed his title, started out
playing at theaters in the silent era before taking charge of a band in Kansas
City. Count Basie: Then as Now, Count's the King isn't exactly a
biography of the jazz bandleader, but a fond reminiscence from members of his
band.

There is a little bit of bio, in the form of a poem written by band member
Frank Foster (the charge is a line from his "The Basie Rap Jam").
However, what drives Count's the King are the stories that band members
tell while crowded around a restaurant table. They talk about Billie Holiday,
marijuana use on the bus, a prank "silent solo," and appearing in
Blazing Saddles, to name just a few of the topics.

This is interspersed with clips, including scenes from two Jerry Lewis
movies that featured the comedian miming to Basie numbers; photos; film of the
band, and lots of music.

It's a free flowing verbal jam session, much like jazz. It also has a warm
feeling to it; you can hear the love the band members had for Basie -- and for
performing -- as they swap stories. Some of them are about Basie, who could with
just a minimal gesture get the band to "explode," but it's a reunion
in which the band as a whole -- and occasionally other great performers, such as
those in Billy Eckstine's band -- share the spotlight.

Picture quality varies, depending on the sources, with the lines through a
1957 kinescope as the worst example. The emphasis is on conversation, not music,
but the sound quality is decent.

A text timeline or similar feature to present Basie's biography and
discography would have been helpful, since Basie's career is hard to follow from
the discussion.

It's mostly aimed at fans who already know the basics of Basie's story, but
the outline in Foster's poem will give newcomers enough to go on. Any musicians
in the audience will likely also find that the stories strike a chord.